Report: Hue Jackson is the “clear front-runner” for 49ers job

There could be an exception to the phrase, “Once a Raider, always a Raider.”

Former Oakland coach Hue Jackson could be returning to the Bay Area, as the coach of the biggest Raiders rival not in the AFC West.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News reports that Jackson, now the Bengals offensive coordinator, has emerged as the “clear front-runner” in the chase to become the next head coach of a storied franchise that has fallen on hard times. Kawakami adds a caveat; Jackson’s status applies pending his interview on Sunday. And job interviews can change everything, for good or for bad.

Especially when the General Manager is trying to balance a desire to win with the importance of having a coach with whom the G.M. can co-exist.

With Jackson, there’s reason to at least be leery of a potential power grab, because he essentially tried to make one in Oakland after the 2011 season. The fact that he soon was fired may have taught him a valuable lesson about the importance of not trying to take over.

Regardless, Jackson gradually has emerged as one of the hottest candidates on the market, with his expertise on the offensive side of the ball and his ability to connect with players. And it doesn’t hurt that Jackson has ties to the Bengals, since Walsh coached there, too, on his path to becoming coach of the 49ers.

The Browns and Dolphins also are interested in Jackson, who arrived in Cincinnati after leaving Oakland, holding several positions on the staff of Marvin Lewis before becoming the offensive coordinator.

You know what I have to save for Jimmy T. We did have an entire year where no 49ers made the news for misdeeds. That was a welcome change from the Harbaugh era.
I’m not sure an ex Raiders coach would continue that trend.

Speaking as a Raider fan this guy is a darn good coach. Had he been given a bit more time, the silver and black might be even further along that we presently are. And the media-reported power grab while with the Raiders was overblown big time IMO. There was a void once Al died, of course it has to be filled by someone. I think he will be a big part of the turnaround in SF….if Junior doesnt mess things up even worse than he already has.

49ers biggest rivals outside the AFC west? More than the Steelers, Patriots, Buccaneers? I think you mean Bay Area rivals.

crownofthehelmet says:Jan 8, 2016 10:01 PM

…Jackson’s status applies pending his interview on Sunday.

So let me get this straight, he knows he has a playoff game on Saturday night, and he scheduled an interview for Sunday. Yes, I’m sure he’s spent this whole week focused on this playoff game, and hasn’t spent any time preparing for his interview. Not to mention, I guess he really didn’t plan on needing to use Sunday to prepare for their next game.

If I were a bengals fan, I’d boo him on Saturday. Though that’s a moot thought, as most of the stadium will be Steeler fans.

staffordsyear says:Jan 8, 2016 10:03 PM

Good for him, i always thought he got hosed in Oakland a few years back.

Hue Jackson works very well with management and front office execs. His motto is that you can disagree without being disagreeable. The only time he tried to assert power with the Raiders is when there was a power vacuum created by the loss of the great Al Davis.

We’re still struggling to get back to where Hue Jack City started off with the Raiders…8-8. Hue Jackson is the real deal. Whatever vision Big Al had for a player(s) or offense overall Hue Jackson was able to materialize it.

sweetzinger says:Jan 8, 2016 10:26 PM

If it was going to be Chip Kelly, I was going to pack it in and start cheering for a CFL team.

I surely hope the niner organization is better that to consider the power hungry under the bus throwing backstabbing coach who screwed up everything across the bay and pretended to be everything but honest devoted and loyal with his swift narcissistic demeanor. In the words of Mike Singletary, can’t work with him, can’t do it, won’t do it. He’s an ego maniac.I think this is going to blow up in the face of a team whose desperate direction will fall again to fire another black coach. Hhhhhmmm where will Marvin be when Jackson is unemployed again. Sociopath at the least.

He’d be a much better option than Chip Kelly. The Niners are built to run the football, not run the spread offense. Hue Jackson did a nice job with the Raiders, but the NFL wanted Tebow to be in the playoffs.

Seriously, the Browns OC is up for a HC position? One city’s trash is another’s HC apparently. I suppose in a world where Harold Reynolds is a networks best option for World Series announcer, ANYTHING is possible.
As a Bengals fan I believe Hue deserves another shot at HC somewhere…. just not in Cincinnati.

dalvar1001 says:Jan 9, 2016 1:21 AM

Not the worst mistake but right in line with firing Harbaugh and hiring Tomasula. You go Jeb

cdace13 says:Jan 9, 2016 3:48 AM

Hey Mike! Pretty sure WALSH as you called him, earned the right to be called
by his full name.

The next coach at each of those positions is destined to fail for many reasons.

Ownership–both owners are clueless
QB- neither team has a QB on their roster that can lead a team over .500. So, they have to draft a rookie, which is a 2-3 year process of growing pain–and with these owners, the next coach will be gone before the rookie develops. And the whole thing will be blown up again.

Jackson could develop a QB (see Andy Dalton). But Dalton is also surrounded by a good number of skilled players. Neither the Niners or Clowns have much of a supporting cast (jury still out on Hyde and Duke Johnson has shown some flashed).

Given both the dearth of talent and the stupidity of the owner and GM, this job eclipses Cleveland as the “most likely to fail” HC position in the NFL. Why would Jackson take it? We know 14 million reasons that Tomsula took it. Will York offer that kind of guaranteed money again?

Another NFL recycling mistake. Like Norv Turner, Marc Tressman, and many others, Hue Jackson has demonstrated he is a good X & Os guy and a good offensive coordinator. And, all of these guys have demonstrated they are lousy head coaches. Why make the same mistake, again?

Just because you were the greatest shooting guard in history doesn’t mean you’ll be a great center, or owner for that matter.

Anybody is better than Chip. Anyplace he goes will be an absolute dumpster fire. You don’t get rid of all pros and pro bowlers and expect to win in the NFL. Chip would be better off back in college. His philosophy and way of doing things just isn’t going to work in this league.

punxrawk124 says:Jan 9, 2016 10:03 AM

Hopefully Hue has learned not to throw everyone under the bus like he did at his last press conference as the Raiders head coach.

Raiders have ceen one of the worst teams in the NFL since
Mckenzie fired Hue and destroyed the Raiders yet he i still collecting a paycheck. The rest of the AFC thanks Mckenzie for being one of the worst GM’s ever.

Interesting option. I guess you might say that anyone that survived AL Davis is thick skinned enough to survive York. I don’t think Baalke will be an obstacle. If Jackson can coach the 49ers back to 8-8 or even 7-9, I think whoever pulls York’s strings will convince him they have a winner in place and to ensure he gives Jackson control. I think Baalke knows that as well and will work hard to mesh well with Jackson.
Will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.

I don’t know what it’s like to be a “minority” coaching candidate in the NFL or other organizations with requirements like the Rooney Rule. But I think it would be frustrating to constantly be reminded that the only reason I was being interviewed was because I was a minority. That doesn’t reflect the reality that the primary reason credentialed candidates are being interviewed is because they are qualified and not just because they are a minority.
Jackson is a qualified coaching candidate. His interview has nothing to do with him being black. It’s only because he is a qualified coach. If he gets the job or is passed over, it will only be because he either fit into the organization or he didn’t and not because of the color of his skin. Comments otherwise just reflect your ignorance.

radrntn says:Jan 9, 2016 1:26 PM

Lets be clear on one thing first….just because you had something to do with the Raiders at one time in your career, does not make you a Raider….Hue is not a Raider. It would almost be like calling Randy Moss a Raider…Guys who are Raiders, personfied themselves as Raiders….Fact is Jack Del Rio is a raider…non raiders might not understand this, but the nation does.

With that being said time will tell if Hue is a good coach, or one of those guys that should just be an OC. One thing is for sure, he is not a GM. Trading picks for Arron Curry, Carson Palmer, etc….was just boneheaded decsisions by a guy whose head got to big for his own good.

Say what you will about Hue but he was the last coach not to have a losing season with the Raiders. He was a creative & inspirational leader that had the Raiders playing well with a pretty bad roster. He was a terrible GM (ie Curry & Palmer) but a good coach. Special teams were fun to watch, dude has Seabass running on fake field goals & it was working. Lol.

Niners have a good defense, with Hue on the offensive side things could turn around fairly quickly for the Niner Empire.

r8dernation says:Jan 9, 2016 3:34 PM

Whomever signs Hue will get a very good coach. He deserves another shot. I would like to see what he could do with the Lions.

You guys keep saying hue was the best thing in oakland. 8-8 and 8-8. FIRED! After tonight I’d be surprised if anyone sees any excitement in bringing in Hue Jackson. Horrible horrible horrible. No class Bengals lose it for the whole city. Stop talking about Hue. He personally Sand Bagged his offense so he can head over and begin his interviews. Threw Lewis under the bus with poss poor offense. Check the c stats. I’m sick to my stomach. Next person that’s says Hue Jackson I’m gonna cut my dam ears off. Poor Marvin gave him a job and will lose his job. You think Hue will give Marvin a job. We will see. Piss poor!